ABSTRACT
A. Handguns can be divided into two general categories: 1. Revolvers — cartridges are carried in a cylinder which is ro-
tated by pulling the trigger (
Figure 8.2
)
2. Autoloading pistols (automatics; semiautomatics) — cartridges are kept in a magazine; the first round has to be manually loaded into the chamber (
Figure 8.3 and Figure 8.4
) B. Rifles and shotguns
Shotguns and rifles are meant to be fired from the shoulder. 1. Shotguns differ from rifles in that the bore is smooth and
contains no rifling. 2. A shotgun is designed to fire multiple pellets down a barrel,
while a rifle is intended to fire a single missile down the barrel. 3. An assault rifle:
a. Is a self-loading rifle b. Is capable of full automatic fire c. Has a large magazine capacity (20 rounds or more) d. Is chambered for an intermediate powered rifle cartridge
(a cartridge intermediate in power between a standard rifle cartridge and a pistol cartridge)
C. A
submachine gun (machine pistol) is a weapon capable of full automatic fire which is chambered for a pistol cartridge.
